New Delhi : The Congress has raised a question mark over prime minister Narendra Modi’s absence from the two houses of the Parliament when the ‘most important indirect tax reform since independence’ was passed in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha respectively.
“On the 6th of May 2015, the Lok Sabha passed the GST Bill in the absence of the prime minister. On the 3rd of August 2016, Rajya Sabha passed the GST Bill in the absence of the Prime Minister. I do not know what the absence of the prime minister signifies. Does it signify that he still has reservations on GST because single-handedly he stopped GST from being a reality between March 2011 and April 2014 or does it reflect his contempt for parliament,” said party spokesman and former minister Jairam Ramesh at a party briefing .
On the substantive issue of the legislation, the Congress appears reconciled to the idea that two of its main demands on the way forward would not be accepted by the government.
It is almost convinced that when the government brings the CGST and IGST bills during the winter session these would be categorised as money bills not to be voted by the Rajya Sabha where the ruling BJP has a problem mustering the numbers.
Similarly, its demand that the standard GST rate be capped at 18 percent and mentioned in the bill is also likely to be ignored by the government. Faced with these two key issues, Ramesh conceded that ultimately it is for the government to take a decision.
‘But all negotiations take place in good faith. Negotiations take place when both sides are willing to move from their stated positions. We will continue to talk on how best to bring the 18% or whatever that percentage is going to be into the CGST Bill. So, that between now and November this discussion or dialogue will continue,” he added.
